The Global
Down Syndrome Foundation and the National
Down Syndrome Congress announced the English and Spanish publication
of the first Down Syndrome Prenatal Testing Pamphlet. The hallmark
pamphlet will be distributed electronically and in print format
nationally through medical professionals as well as available directly
to pregnant women and families.

The Down Syndrome Prenatal Testing Pamphlet is intended to eliminate
confusion at a time when advice and guidance can vary dramatically from
doctor to doctor and counselor to counselor, and where there was
previously no accessible, consistent resource for women and families. Recent
research shows that the majority of medical students and doctors do
not receive adequate training in prenatal diagnosis for Down syndrome
and that parents often receive inaccurate information about the
diagnosis.

"Although prenatal testing for Down syndrome has been available in the
United States since the 1970s, there has not been an easy-to-read,
easy-to-update pamphlet available for pregnant women distributed through
the offices of medical professionals. The pamphlet that the Global Down
Syndrome Foundation and the National Down Syndrome Congress are
providing will be a much needed and welcomed resource," said Nanette F.
Santoro, M.D., Chair of the Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology at
the University of Colorado School of Medicine.

The pamphlet was designed by a group of medical professionals,
researchers, Down syndrome experts and parents over a six-month period.
Through the websites, mailing lists and newsletters of the Global Down
Syndrome Foundation and the National Down Syndrome Congress, more than
200 respondents from the Down syndrome community weighed in on a draft
version of the pamphlet before its finalization.

Michelle Whitten, Executive Director of the Global Down Syndrom
Foundation, explains, "Providing prenatal testing information for Down
syndrome can be politically charged. But over 90% of survey respondents
were on the same page about getting accurate information into the hands
of pregnant women, and applauded our efforts. I believe that our
organization and the National Down Syndrome Congress have been very
respectful about listening to our community's hopes and fears and
providing an even-handed resource. Of course it is important to remember
that our number one audience must be pregnant women."

"We believe that this pamphlet goes a long way in satisfying the 2008
Prenatally and Postnatally Diagnosed Conditions Awareness Act
co-sponsored by Senators Edward Kennedy (D-Mass.) and Sam Brownback
(R-Kan.)," said David Tolleson, Executive Director of the National Down
Syndrome Congress. "Our members and friends have been extremely
supportive of this joint initiative with the Global Down Syndrome
Foundation and we believe tens of thousands of women and families will
benefit from having the current, accurate information presented in the
pamphlet."

The pamphlet also dispels the notion that new non-invasive 10-week blood
tests for Down syndrome are diagnostic or 100% accurate. In fact, new
blood tests on the market have shown high levels of accuracy only within
a defined high-risk
population (e.g. pregnant women over the age of 38). These tests are
not recommended for women with low-risk pregnancies because their
accuracy has not yet been demonstrated.

The Global Down Syndrome Foundation and the National Down Syndrome
Congress will continue to measure the impact of the pamphlet through
follow-up surveys and to monitor advances in prenatal testing, and the
pamphlet will be updated as appropriate. The pamphlet format allows for
easy updates and distribution.

Over the next several months, both organizations will be providing
additional links and resources associated with a prenatal diagnosis of
Down syndrome. For free downloads of the pamphlet or to learn more,
visit www.downsyndrometest.org.

About the Global Down Syndrome Foundation

The Global
Down Syndrome Foundation is a public nonprofit 501(c)(3) dedicated
to significantly improving the lives of people with Down syndrome
through research, medical care, education and advocacy. Formally
established in 2009, the Foundation's primary focus is to support the
Linda Crnic Institute for Down Syndrome, the first academic home in the
U.S. committed to research and medical care for people with the
condition. Fundraising and government advocacy that corrects the
alarming disparity of national funding for people with Down syndrome is
a major short-term goal. The Foundation organizes the Be Beautiful Be
Yourself Fashion Show -- the single-largest annual fundraiser benefiting
people with Down syndrome. Programmatically, the Foundation organizes
and funds many programs and conferences, including the Dare to Play
Football and Cheer Camps, Global Down Syndrome Educational Series, and
Global Down Syndrome Multi-Language Resource Project. The Foundation is
an inclusive organization without political or religious affiliation or
intention.

About the National Down Syndrome Congress

Founded in 1973, the National
Down Syndrome Congress is the oldest national organization for
people with Down syndrome, their families, and the professionals who
work with them. A 501(c)(3) non-profit advocacy organization, the NDSC
provides free technical support and information about issues related to
Down syndrome throughout the lifespan, as well as on matters of public
policy relating to disability rights. Best known for its annual
convention - the largest of its type in the world - the National Down
Syndrome Congress is a grassroots organization recognized for its
"family" feel, its "We're More Alike than Different" public awareness
campaign, and its outreach to individuals from diverse backgrounds.